Volunteer at the upcoming DC LaborFest and get a t-shirt and free Labor FilmFest passes! The 2015 DC LaborFest runs May 1-31 and has more than 50 exciting events scheduled, including the 15th annual DC Labor FilmFest screenings, plus labor art, music, book, history and even soccer events. As usual, LaborFest volunteers receive a free t-shirt and a pair of passes to the Labor FilmFest. Click here to sign up for 2015 DC LaborFest. Well over 1,000 activists marched and danced through DC streets Monday as they made their way from the AFL-CIO to the offices of the US Trade Representative, where police re-routed traffic as the demonstrators made clear their opposition to the Fast Track trade legislation now being rushed through Congress. The usual contingents of union members were buoyed by young activists in town for the Populism2015 conference, who led the way with spirited chants like “We are the people; we’ve got a story. We’ll tell the whole wide world this is people territory!” In addition to speakers like AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka, CWA’s Larry Cohen, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre, Mark Dimondstein of the APWU and Senator Bernie Sanders, populist Jim Hightower cut to the core of the issue by saying that “The only thing you need to know about Fast Track is that they don’t want you to know about it!” Monday’s rally followed a similarly well-attended rally on Capitol Hill last week, and opposition has been building across the country. NOVA Labor phone-bankers made over 1,000 calls last Saturday, as 16 different unions participated. The phonebank will be open at NOVA Labor all week; click here for details.
photos by Chris Garlock (top right) and Dolores Gerber (left) Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is “very seriously”considering implementing furloughs of state employees, reports AFSCME Maryland. The Legislature adopted budget language which “fenced off” the funds for the 2% pay raise that all state and university workers began receiving in January, so Hogan can’t use the pay raise money for any other spending. But Hogan “can choose to simply not spend the money at all and state employee’s pay would be cut,” AFSCME Maryland warns. Montgomery County officials are investigating allegations by employees at the Department of Economic Development that acting director Sally Sternbach has fostered a hostile work environment marked by “persistent inappropriate and intimidating behavior,” reported the Washington Post last week. The charges were contained in an April 6 letter to County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) from Gino Renne, president of UFCW Local 1994 (Municipal and County Government Employees Organization), which represents about half of the 40 employees in the department.
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